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Before & After: Leah's Light Living Room

060909 leah before after.jpgLocal writer Leah Hennen is responsible for one of our favorite daily reads, More Ways to Waste Time. She just posted a look at her recently updated living room, and we love the difference a few simple changes have made to the space. Check it out after the jump...

 
 

060909 leah after.jpgLeah painted the living room in Benjamin Moore's Cloud Gray and added slipcovers to her couch and chair. It lightens things up quite a bit, and the cool tones seem to be a perfect update for the warmer months. You can see lots more photos of the updated space and read about past incarnations of Leah's living room at her most excellent blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

(Images: Leah Hennen for More Ways to Waste Time)

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Living Room, More Ways to Waste Time, Leah Hennen, living room update

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Comments (22)

The Cloud Gray is such a soothing color!

And the name of Leah's blog has me uncontrollably giggling as I type this. Must. Go. Read.

I.

posted by Ivan Chan on June 9th 2009 at 8:16pm
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I love Leah's space and I covet her collectables. That said, I think the placement of those vases on top of the bookcases in picture one, seem to put the room out of scale. Maybe bring them down to eye level somewhere?

posted by LBhirise on June 9th 2009 at 8:38pm
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I LOVE that standing planter in the top picture... does anyone know where I can find one?

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, it's really a lovely transformation! Subtle, but definitely adds a bit of elegance.

posted by Seshat on June 9th 2009 at 9:25pm
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Seshat: You can get those planters directly from Hip Haven or via retailers like DWR or Velocity Art and Design.

posted by palindrome on June 9th 2009 at 9:43pm
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Great blog, great room.

posted by rosenatti on June 9th 2009 at 9:44pm
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Seshat - the planter is a Hip Haven Retro Bullet Planter:
http://www.hiphaven.com/Pages/A_Retro_Bullet_Planter.html

posted by fjorlief on June 9th 2009 at 9:51pm
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i really dig the side table with the wooden legs and the white top that the peonies are sitting on. I poked around her blog but didn't see any further info. Any ideas on its source/similar items?

posted by bluloo on June 9th 2009 at 11:32pm
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I love it both ways. I think I sort of prefer the beige for the room. It was so calming with how homey it was -- really charming.

posted by mamaspank on June 10th 2009 at 12:23am
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I LOVE the new wall color. Very fresh and crisp - perfect with the pops of bright turquoise and green, I think!

posted by christiana on June 10th 2009 at 2:40am
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It looks cozy, but it feels too busy. Maybe that's just me. There are patterns and objects everywhere, and my poor eyes don't know where to look!

Laura
http://www.grafxnerd.net

posted by grafxnerd on June 10th 2009 at 8:29am
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Very nice. I would just clear the top of the bookcases completely. The white vases are too heavy and tall for that space and anything up there competes with all the pattern and busy-ness going on inside the bookcases.

Great colors.

posted by spanky on June 10th 2009 at 9:35am
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Like Bluloo, I would like to know where that side table (white plate & wooden legs) is from!

Nice colors, I like it!

posted by Vickie D on June 10th 2009 at 10:02am
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I had to scroll back and forth a few times and couldn't find the differences until I read the writeup.
Both look nice.

posted by kiljoywashere on June 10th 2009 at 10:38am
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I agree about the vases and globes needing to come down.

Otherwise, the room has such a nice freshness to it and love the color palette.
I do love your blog, you are the best ebay picks finder and finding local artist.

posted by LoriSF on June 10th 2009 at 11:38am
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I like the coffee table (actually looks to be side table sized). I think CB2 has a similar dining table. Does anyone have a lead on where to find something small like this? Is it based on a classic design, and if so, what's it called? Thanks.

posted by crawtine on June 10th 2009 at 11:46am
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nice x 2. I'd like to see the redo photographed from the same angle as the original. I'd like to see without the slipcovers too! Great to be able to change things up without upset.

posted by stt64 on June 10th 2009 at 12:03pm
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"I like the coffee table.
Does anyone have a lead on where to find something small like this? Is it based on a classic design, and if so, what's it called?"

It's based on Vladimir Kagan and Jean Prouve table designs.

posted by bepsf on June 10th 2009 at 12:11pm
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bepsf-" I'm also wondering why all the lamps are s o f a r a w a y from the seating? How does she see when she wants to sit and read? What good does that standing lamp do in the corner?"

That is a pretty bright room with good natural light as it is don't need lots of lamps or to have lamps next to the sofa.

posted by LoriSF on June 10th 2009 at 12:14pm
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Hi I really like your redone room. It looks very comfortable and lived in. Also I really like your couch pillows and all the turquoise and green accents.

posted by katyar on June 10th 2009 at 12:56pm
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Had to go check out her blog, emailed myself the link. :-) I love her blog's title, too cute.

I like the gray and I can see where it would be less limiting than the camel for if you want to go more cooler colors such as chartreuse and turquoise during the summer months, fine and go for more warmer colors in the winter months w/out having to repaint every time.

It's such a subtle use of color there that I don't think it'd be an issue when the days are gray and dreary like they are in Seattle a lot of the time.

Yesterday's post on her blog I think solved a query I tried to get answered oh, 18 years ago, the lamp itself is made by Mario Tempestini for Lightolier and I think hails from 1956. It was a table/wall mount lamp w/ the black enameled shade on the outside w/ the brass accents. Mine was the tension pole version, but in shiny brass w/ light brown accents on the center section of the pole and was complete w/ bulb shade clips, but needed work to bring back it's former glory as the brass needed buffing, the joints redone so they could hold the shades at whatever angle I decided to put them and be totally rewired w/ fresh wiring but worked well otherwise.

Eventually I got rid of it and would love to find another one some day.

posted by ciddyguy on June 10th 2009 at 3:25pm
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The color is better but the chach-ki arrangement is only a bit better. Too much stuff is piled on top of the bookcase, mantle, and sideboard. It looks out of scale - and speaking of scale, although I like the coffee table, it's a little too small to fill the space.

posted by madchaka on June 10th 2009 at 6:36pm
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the old paint color wasn't so bad, but switching to blue makes the room look less busier.

posted by selenakyle on June 10th 2009 at 10:56pm
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